Lake Speed's 90's NASCAR Thunderbird Resurrection: Running 780hp Wide Open at 75 Years Old!

you know how Racers are they keep getting better and better every year so it's been 20. surely there's a few things I can pick up here if you went back and watched the Nascar race from The Glory Days of the late 1980s Lake speed is a name that you would see we showed you his entire Race shop that's still in his backyard where he has two cars left and two engines they have not been touched in 20 years he made us a deal he said you know what you take that engine get it freshened up make it make some more power put it back in the car and I'll drive it again and he's 75 years old the modernized Ford C3 NASCAR engine is ready to go it makes 780 horsepower and the last time Lake drove this car 20 years ago it only made about 480. the objects will run faster than we did last time I was there you know yeah what have you been working on in here we've got we got brakes on sent off the Brembo is doing it my buddy Jim long is going to come do the shocks for me I get the shocks off for him he's going to do that this week I'm fixing to take the seat belts and all that stuff out and look them over Sam's checking out here see if we can update something else a little bit because he used to work here I worked with lake at Milling racing when he was a driver there so this was the actual pick cart that he was using back in the day everything's labeled we got little dividers riveted in there that's freaking sweet I'm taking notes on that keep bumping against that bushing it'll probably come out bushing for this okay I don't believe it well I didn't put anything because it would go in there I reckon you're right that's probably why I probably did all I could do with what I had what did this car used to be before you Road raced it last time I remember running a I think it was the 600. it's Charlotte killer fast and the cart was the car was originally built as a Speedway car so it's a straight up car it wouldn't offset so we made a really good race road race car too so it said this had a couple of two or three three different lives it was I think it started out if I remember right I think it was an Oldsmobile first they went to Chevrolet body on it and then forward body I don't remember the Chevy era yeah was that pretty quick yeah just a couple races couldn't get any cylinder heads and when we can get it current race stuff so this isn't a Hopkins car a lofliner this is this was built right in this building yep right there how would you identify this car does it have a number on it somewhere if nah just get a name Jobe job job yeah where did that come from I don't know probably my wife probably put it on there and just thinking Joe been through a lot yeah is that what went through a lot biblical see I saw that and I thought I said job two and then I noticed there was a line over it I was like what is job number two I thought that was like you know job build something but that's its name it's Jobe been a veteran been a veteran I'm a good one for us is there a job number one because I remember that it's just as job number two on it job just might have been number two and the second one he built you did you didn't notice your name on all over yeah yeah we're looking at it too [Laughter] oblivious of thinking about all this stuff I need to do check this out it's a good night sleep that is super super cool total seal I know I love it well the the contingency decals I think are like the coolest part of this whole thing spent a lot of time making the contingency decals right I mean that's awesome as a kid I used to love collecting all those things I'd like to go to the racetrack I'd like put them on my legs and stuff that was little you know it was the cool the stickers are the coolest thing right and this is amazing to see all those little ones on there but speaking of when you were little I referenced that shirt you were wearing back in you're right yeah for yes yeah that and the checkered flag was and yeah that was from the uh the Nationwide Auto Parts car yeah 85 or 86 in that picture yeah probably like five you're like little kid in that picture like 13 yeah look at all the contingency decals and stuff yeah and they have another shirt to wear or steal from you no no I actually have your own right so it's not as small when you're coming back to the t-shirts I made sure I ordered enough for everybody a pressurized deal here put on The Pump It Up just push pressure pushes the fluid through would you make that out of yeah this is a pressure Chester we used a pressure check two cycle engines to make sure the crank case doesn't leak the crank cases leak on the two cycle that really can make the engines run too lean huh so after after you build an engine you always pressure check that's it all right you can go down more now the Pan's clear of the cow oh something's coming towards the left side of the car a little bit because you're really getting used to all fitting over there take this oil line loose over here to get it in when it's on the side halfway up the oil pan well if you remember from the engine dyno video Dennis the pro motor went on this big thing about how he made a thing to connect the Piston squirters to this oil pan that weren't being used before when we were getting ready to mock things up and I noticed it's like hey this thing's got sprayers in it look back on the cart looked at the Block there were no lines on the car there was no provisions on the Block we basically ran live ran the lines back inside the pan this is the supply it'll come through here inside of it the supply oil to that manifold right there and it crosses over and supplies it to this one that's what's in the way so this thing right here yep we're going to pull the pan off and see how easy it is to weld the new bung up here where it won't be in the way of the cross member Dennis was so proud of that too [Laughter] so I took the pan home with me most of you people watching these NASCAR videos probably have no idea that we know what we're doing and build cars and that I used to fabricate things before I started making YouTube videos Lake doesn't even know that but he's about to find out because I'm going to cut this bung out and move it up here so it doesn't hit the frame rail anymore what I'm gonna do is flip this drill bit inside out or replace it with a rod that way I can use it to cut this out without the drill bit screwing up the threads in there we're going to reuse this entire bum if you're wondering while the racket is over here it is Logan working on her car she can weld and do all that stuff too and I bet you had no idea that that was a thing either now you do this is her project I have not helped her with any of the fabricating cutting or welding so you spent more time using the MIG welder than I have so I'm gonna have to borrow that drill I'll just use the Houston okay cool yeah you're not mailing your arm anywhere she screwed it up cutting the torque box apart so the plastic is to keep the brace clean there's metal there will be videos on this on the channel coming soon this is kind of like a sneak peek I guess and this uh r5p7 Dodge engine is for my car then putting together racing Grand National Super Series and you get five videos about that too [Music] there we go [Music] I fixed the pan we got the engine back in now we're getting prepared for the first startup of the refreshed engine in the car for the first time in 20 years start it let it run just for a very little bit didn't check anything and everything right check all the levels yep been a long time long time coming here this thing running this car [Music] all that stuff to work right make sure that your ignition comes on late because uh yeah well that came on that's a brake pedal ain't it I don't know we had to do some work on the brakes so yeah it got moved around all right y'all ready to start this thing yeah let's start it yeah if we can come back I guess I got to give it throttle a little bit [Music] I don't think the fuel's gotten up there yet no we have no fuel pressure [Music] [Applause] got a little fuel pressure right there [Applause] how does it feel I can't wait there's something different about this my primary concern now is each one of these boom tubes does he don't want to stick on here and when I start putting that on right now but I know there's other pressing issues at hand how do I get running a little rough it's amazing yeah what is that you're using in there that's a VP late model Plus so I talked to Freddie terza who's one of the engineer r d kind of guys that uh VP and because the old fuel cell is ran with the old Sunoco uh Supreme you know a non-oxygenated Fuel and everything was great in good condition he said don't use an oxygen if you like when we downloaded it we ran the q16 well that's oxygenated fuel that could tear up the stuff so we use right octane fuel right to make approach to see what the setup is but it's the right let me see if that doesn't cause issues with all this mess oh it's still lighted yeah so about the same octane as a q16 this is 114 for 116 but this engine it's fine so Frankie and the guys Pro motor dynoed it with this carburetor with this fuel and got it set up for it timing wise and everything um so that we could just put this right in and just go run it what are you trying to figure out right now you calling me fat on 1 8 over [Music] time can you explain what you were doing for somebody who doesn't know what that is for which thing the frame Heights and all that the frame Heights and everything is your ground clearance is the biggest thing you're closer to the ground you're all the better the car is going to be but you can't be dragging the ground obviously either but uh getting the getting frame Heights so that you don't drag but you're closed and then getting the uh the wedge in the car is just for balance and turn so you're just as tight turning right as you roll then you get the racetrack and you start running on the track then if there's a place that you're too loose or too tight then you adjust from there but this is just to get you a baseline And basically what we're trying to do is have the car neutral same way you know turn this have the same grip both directions when you go start out and you wanted to find the belt Heights of the chassis so you knew what Center what we were doing before but in mind I'm pretty sure you want to set it to where the car is built to run and if these frame rans are five in the front five in the back then the suspension points and everything are meant to run with that frame at that height then that's our starting point basically then all the other measurements can be done you can't just drop it as low as you want because then your camber curve and all that's going to be everything wrong is affected camber faster toe everything's affected by that it drove really good last time it was out so we want to put it back where it wants a little bit one thing you got to remember though good every time it's going to be quite a bit more throaty next time yeah and have a little more so so Daddy O's gonna have more to hold on to this time yeah I think he's kind of excited about that part too I think you're right but seat belts in this baby fresh belts there's a lot of fresh stuff here for old job what's going on in your mind take preparing to do all of this for the first time in such a long time it's just I'm trying to remember everything you know it's one of the things and just uh it's cold very cold back and relive some of you past experiences this has been a good car here this sucker's got a lot of history with me and know freshen up tuned up gonna be better than ever are you more nervous or confident that as soon as you pull out there everything's just gonna come right back oh so I'm not worried about me any you know whether or not we got the car where it's supposed to be that's you know that could be an issue we're doing like I said you haven't come back and remember uh stuff that you did for 20 years worth so most of it's coming back pretty good as you've like been doing stuff does stuff come back to you like once you start getting it yeah yeah it's just like doing the setup of the night you know I'm sitting there doing those screw Jack screw Jack screw Jack messing around and measuring frame Heights and stuff then all of a sudden heck don't like then I remember exactly what to do and didn't take five seconds sorry we were done that's interesting how that works yeah yeah just when you remember how you had done it in the past the easy way the right way it's just trying to figure it out again you know they could get your mind on that track and then it pulls the file yeah it was just all of a sudden a file showed up and it was like we'll be done with it I thought it's a check change that's it yeah take shocks loose we'll have this done in just a minute and sure enough okay it's quick but what's happening back here oh we're just checking fluid levels uh making sure everything's snug as it should be hasn't been it's so far so good that's good I brought a microphone so you can do your best uh days of thunderburn scene impression yeah we'll do that when they do that I'll turn Chambers I said we're going to do that I need to have a we got to get a menu of all the things that we changed yeah we can share that with dude right okay Joe got you all fixed up now let's go out here and shine need that nut drivers y'all a handle nut driver that'll give you a little support that thing sort of just pop really together well Ben little does help yeah getting there small little washer yeah that one's too big well the one we got that washer was too big it wouldn't wouldn't go down in there so it's adjustable that that fitting there so it can swivel oh okay to go wherever you want it to go they got the tailgate up off the ground now yeah otherwise I tear the rubbers off the back all right we're going too fast now no I got some Digger straps pushing it again there was a I didn't think that was gonna work that was like some serious support in the late 80s Lake Speed Racing almost went under a lack of sponsorship looked like the team was gonna die all we did was take a real strong organization and Bleed It To Death until Purex came out of nowhere and saved the day think of all the moments in Motorsports it wouldn't happen if your favorite driver sponsor just disappeared if I'm at the grocery store or the parts store or the wherever store buying something I will buy the brand that has a Motorsports affiliation even if I don't like the driver they sponsor all I'm saying is it makes sense to support Brands to support things that you like I wear a pencil hat a lot you see their stuff around here I collect sheet metal and that kind of thing they're a big supporter of this Channel and they're the coolest freaking people of any sponsor that we've ever had especially when they got a killer product too like this dodge R5 p7 I'm putting in my race car back here this is a legitimate former Cup Series engine of the early 2000s and I'm gonna run straight off the shelf Pennzoil Ultra 0w-40 in it at the recommendation of Lake speed Junior himself he had done his own testing and he recommended he said this would be perfect for that and I said really I didn't know that I thought you know race engines got to have some fancy race oil that you have to buy you know through some other thing it's not the store I'm not not here so next time your oil light comes on you think of us you think of Lake speed getting back in his car you think about all the videos you've watched on this channel that you've enjoyed you grab that yellow bottle and you dump it in your engine and you feel good about it next time you change your oil if you get some Pennzoil and put it in there put it on your Instagram story and tag me I'll share it almost one year later from the day we took that engine out of there and put on the dyno and pro motor the car is finally at VIR and the lake speed is about to drive it again for the first time in 20 years how are you feeling apprehensive just to see uh to me going out shaking down I'm not sure I want to go out immediately because a lot of the guys there go out of meat they're going to try to go hard as they can right off the bat and I don't want to be in the way well I'm just shaking one down and not up fully up to speed so we're just now about seven minutes into that session probably started up now let it be warming up wide get this done absolutely all right tell that tree turned down there she is Bad to the Bone man night and day since last time for me at a Washington Glen it's really strong I hadn't really pushed it hard oh that's let's shifting it below eight just gotta get used to the racetrack what I can do is what I can't do that's what you mean coming back the go-karts you can drive that thing oh in the corner I know that you can't with this so um I'm being very careful sneaking up on it just a little bit at a time and uh my my uh synchronizing my shifting with the downshift I was struggling with that uh usually I could do it and would never even touching the clutch you know without a hard time missing it uh second first get them to go anyway then I just started using coach now just trying to feel out how much grip the thing has getting used to that without getting in trouble with it at the meantime never slip that was good charging a go-kart could sure [Laughter] [Music] hold it wide up very long because you're gonna run out of racetrack here really quick we're back here for the main day multiple runs gonna be made today still learning how to use all these freaking microphones to take it easy on me I'm not a AV guy in my car guy that picked up a camera but we're doing our best see I realized yesterday that just having this microphone on here facing the back didn't work so I have to have another one that's right here pointed forward what did you learn yesterday that you're going to apply today oh main thing it's not gonna be able to see where I'm going that's important I can see better out of here because yesterday it was kind of like driving in a fog sure being able to see what they would be able to do a lot better because I couldn't see clearly and then also I couldn't see out the back real good and I didn't know if somebody was close to me or not close to me I was having to be extremely careful now things should be a lot better where did this engine peek at eight eight something yeah thermostat eight was where it started falling off after eight but it sure doesn't feel like it didn't fall off much it was not falling off keep running it up it sounds better the reality is we have no idea what it really would have peaked at because you know Frankie the moment it starts to drop off he just pulls the handle back so if it could have been like dipping and then gone again we would have no idea that makes sense well I'm hoping whenever I go sit up on the long straightaway back there that you'll go as far as the chip will let you because we want to hear it scream I'll show you I'll show you on the map in a track map you know exactly where to go okay we're all about Sounds here absolutely and unfortunately this car does not have boom tubes on it I know it's killing you it is killing me I feel I feel violated that we did all of this and it does not have boom tubes on it like so he went up to him and did a thing with Larry it was a Sterling's 500 car with the x-pipes on that and everything yeah yeah why did you take the boom tube off of this car ground clearance all right well everyone's just gonna have to accept it run the coral power if you got the pipes underneath the frame after you were if you were doing it I got the guys later raised the frame rails so that you know they could still get the car down but this didn't have raised frame rails in it so we just get away with the Bluetooth I mean it makes sense I'm just sad about it but and…